Three Simple Words
by WP
Summary: Paige becomes a threat that may pove hard to solve. Read my previous stories or this wont make sense.
1. Part 1

AN: Yay! I got it done. Well, this is an idea I've had for a while, hopefully u'll like it. Let me know.   
  
  
Three Simple Words  
  
  
  
"I don't know what to do, Piper." Said the lost voice.  
  
"It'll be ok. It's probably PMS or just bordum." She reasured.  
  
"No, it's not. It's like everything inside has changed and she won't open up."  
  
Piper sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. "Ok, I'll just have to have it out with her."  
  
"I didn't want to worry you, it's just... so strange. I'm really lost."  
  
Piper patted Glenn on the arm, "go make yourself scarce, she'll be back soon.  
  
Glenn seemed to battle himself before quickly leaving.  
  
Piper slumped back in the sofa.  
  
Her baby sister had been acting strangely the past few weeks. She barely spend anytime with the family, she wasn't doing her share at P4, she was reading all the time and snapped at little things.  
  
Seeing something moving in the corner of her eye she stood up, "Paige?"  
  
"What?" She answered, not turnin around to face her sister.  
  
"I thought we could have a little chat."  
  
"I've got ome reading to do."  
  
"I don't really care. Paige, sit down." Piper ordered.  
  
Paige grunted and finally turned around, "Screw you!"  
  
Piper was shocked, "What the hell has gotten into you?"  
  
"I'm sick of this authority crap!"  
  
"Has something happened? Did I say or do something to hurt you?"  
  
"God, It's always about you isn't it?" Paige said as she moved closer to Piper.  
  
Piper was visable hurt by Paige's words, "Paige, stop this. What is going on with you?"  
  
"Liberation, Piper. I'm sick of being so weak, such a punchbag. That's the difference between us."  
  
Piper was speechless, what was going on with her sister? This was more than pissed off.  
  
"Got know sisterly comeback? That's gotta be a first. I always wondered where you got the self assurance to make so many condesending remarks."  
  
Piper's face showed more hurt than anyone could think possible.   
  
"You're not perfect either." She said quietly.  
  
"What do you know?! Were you ever once there?! No!" Paige shouted, becoming increasingly pissed off.  
  
"So that's it. You're having a 'you were never there' relapse? Get over it Paige! We weren't there, but bitching about it can't change that."  
  
Paige felt some force inside telling her to slap her sister. She didn't ignore that feeling as she struck Piper hard across the cheek.  
  
Piper held a hand to her stinging cheek and looked at Paige with shock and tears in her eyes.  
  
"Know what? That felt good."   
  
Piper saw red as she straightened up and threw out her hands, freezing the room.  
  
Her instincts told her something was wrong and the now frozen Paige confirmed that.  
  
Paige fought threw Piper's freeze and shook it off.  
  
"uh oh. Busted." She said sarcastically as she sucker punched Piper.  
  
Piper fell to the floor holding her nose.  
  
Paige took the opertunity to kick Piper while she was down.  
  
The grunts of pain gave her such an adreniline rush she needed more.  
  
Picking Piper off the floor she launched her into the wall, causing an unhealthy thud.  
  
Piper held her stomach, trying to fight off the nothing. Looking up she saw the malice grin on Paige's face.  
  
She had to keep telling herself it wasn't Paige. She was evil. She had to be possessed.   
  
As Paige came for her again she wanted nothing more than to blow her up but Paige was still in there somewhere.   
  
"You're pretty weak for being a charmed one." She aid with a laugh.  
  
"Paige, fight it. Please."   
  
"hmm... nah."  
  
Paige again lifted Piper clean off the floor but this time by the throat.  
  
Piper gagged as she struggled to get any air.  
  
Piper lashed out and managed to kick Paige's knee, causing her to drop Piper.  
  
She sucked in air and began breathing heavily.  
  
"You Bitch! That really hurt!" Paige complained as she began kicking Piper, over and over.   
  
As her leg began to hurt she stopped. Looking down at the mess she used to call a sister she 'orbed' out. 


	2. Part 2

AN: Ok, you get a long part as i was writting it all last nite lol. Thanks for all the nice comments. A bit of angst get's everyone. Anyway, enjoy :D  
  
  
Part 2  
  
  
Phoebe strolled into the manor after a meeting with Elise. It'd been a pretty average, boring day but as she saw her big sister unconscious on the floor she knew it was going to turn out to be pretty eventful.  
  
Running over to Piper she stopped short in shock at the site of her sister.  
  
Blood and bruising covered her face, he leg lay at an awkward angle, bleeding through her cream pants. Piper was in the fetal position but the blood was wiped across the floor.   
  
Phoebe felt the burning in her eyes when she realised Piper had crawled... perhaps fo her life or to try and get help.  
  
Reaching out a shakey hand to her battered sisters neck she checked for a pulse.  
  
The lump in her throat got bigger as she struggled to feel a weak thud.  
  
Phoebe eased Piper's head into her lap and stroaked her hair.  
  
"Prue! Leo! Paige! Someone!" She yelled at the ceiling.  
  
Laying a gentle kiss on Piper's forehead she whispered, "Stay with me, sweetie. Just hang on a little more," She begged.  
  
Leo orbed in a few feet away from his boken wife and Prue followed second's later.  
  
Rushing forward Leo summoned his power and surrounded Piper with the warm yellow glow.  
  
Prue stood in the same place she orbed in, paralysed wih fear.   
  
"Leo?" Phoebe asked with hopeful eyes.  
  
Leo nodded, "It's working. What the hell happened?"  
  
"I- I don't know. I came home and found her like this." Phoebe said with tears streaming down her face.  
  
Prue finally joined her sisters and brother in law, placing her hands over Piper she helped make short work of the healing.  
  
Piper's eyes flickered open as she drew in a sharp breath.   
  
Phoebe kept s hold of Piper to assure her she was safe while Leo and PRue still sat at her side.   
  
"Piper? Are you ok?" Leo asked.  
  
Piper looked at him with such pain in her eyes he felt like he had died inside. Tears began to cascade from her eyes.  
  
"Honey, what happened?" Phoebe asked, fearing the worst.  
  
Piper broke free of her little sister's grasp and sat up, knee's to her chest.   
  
"She hit me, she kept hitting me. But Paige..."  
  
"Piper, did this thing hurt Paige? Did it take her?" Prue demanded, needing to know that her baby sister was safe.   
  
Piper shook her head, "It took her... Trapped her inside." Piper said cryptically.  
  
"Piper, tell us exactly what happened." Phoebe said gently.  
  
Leo, meanwhile, tried to sense Paige, his heart sinking when he couldn't.  
  
Piper pulled herself together and started at the beginning.  
  
"Glenn was worried about Paige. I said I would talk to her, make sure she was ok. When she came in she was so short tempered. She started to say horrible things. She called me weak. Said I didn't know her because I was never there. Then she slapped me. I... I froze her and it worked, for a few seconds. Then she started punching me, kicking me, choking me. She wouldn't stop." Piper's voice broke as she dissolved to tears.   
  
Leo wrapped his arms around his distraught wife and held her.  
  
"Go and get Ender from school. I'll calm Piper down and start on how we can fix this." He told them.  
  
Prue ran her hand down Piper's cheek and kissed the top of her head.  
  
Prue took Phoebe by the hand and they left the manor, both lost in thoughts of fear.  
  
********  
  
Prue walked threw the all too familiar halls of Baker High.   
  
She had spent so much time making sure she fitted in, that she wasn't teased as the freak or the orphan. She made sure know one would ever dare.   
  
And that was wasted time, she gained no one from that time.  
  
Approaching one of the music room she heard the thudding of drum's.   
  
As she peered inside the room, the bass causing her heart to thud she saw her nephew.   
  
He was violently strumming his guitar as he stepped up to a mic.   
  
"Never know how much you meant to me  
Never knew how bad it got  
You choose to ignore  
My friend inflicted angst."  
  
Prue knew she should interrupt, should get Ender and go but something compelled her to listen. The music was real, it blanked out the pain of a sister gone to the darkside.  
  
"'You could never understand,   
You could never know the pain'  
Obviously, the years didn't teach you well  
Thing is, I can never tell."  
  
Her nephew's somewhat high voice was so strong with the backing of music that set it off perfectly.  
  
"Pacing through the storm  
I know I deserve this  
Everyone wans to care  
But silence is my saviour."  
  
Prue leaned against the wall and held her breath, it was the only way she knew not to cry. The music surounding her changd, it was angrier, darker.  
  
"This is what living my life does  
I wish I could hate you  
But this is what living my life is."  
  
The lyrics were sung with such sincerity and pain that everything fitted in.   
  
The crash signaling the end of the song stopped Prue before she could let her thoughts and realisation's break her down.   
  
Opening the door she looked Ender in the eyes.   
  
"We have to go."  
  
Ender held his aunts gaze for a second, seeing the distress in her eyes he grabbed his bag and guitar then looked to his friends, "Later."  
  
Following his aunt they walked threw the halls.  
  
"What's happened?"  
  
"It's Paige. I think she's possessed."  
  
Ender sighed but said no more.  
  
"We have a lot to learn about you, don't we?" Prue asked.  
  
Ender looked over to his aunt, "You were listening?"  
  
"I couldn't help it. Did you write that?"  
  
Ender turned red from embaressment, "uh... yeah. Matt and Nate make it sound good though."  
  
"The cheerful act you have, isn't as real as it seem's huh?"  
  
Ender seemed to think about it as they went down the steps to the car.  
  
"There's stuff... inside that you don't know about." He said truthfully.  
  
Prue put a hand on his shoulder, "but I will." She stated.  
  
"Yeah, I guess so." He said as he climbed in the back of the jeep.  
  
Phoebe turned around as Prue started the car.   
  
"Did Prue fill you in?" She asked him.  
  
"Aunt Paige has gone evil." he said simply.  
  
Phoebe noded sadly, "she almost killed your mom."   
  
Ender's eyes went wide, "What?!"  
  
"She's ok, just tread carefully back home. She's pretty upset." Phoebe warned.  
  
Prue stared out at the deserted road, it a few hours till rush hour, everyone was too busy with their lives to be driving.  
  
As she rounded the corner, Paige stood in the middle of the road.  
  
Prue swerved to avoid her sister, evil or not, that was her sister. Instinct took over.  
  
The jeep smashed directly into a wall, crashing violently.  
  
Paige laughed before leaving the scene.  
  
Ender groaned and put a hand to his bleeding head. Quickly coming to his senses he took his seatbelt off and looked to the front.  
  
what he saw shook him to the bone.  
  
His aunt Phoebe was bleeding heavily from a massive cut on her head. There was blood splatted against the windscreen where she had struck it. She didn't have a seatbelt on. He couldn't bring himself to look for a rise and fall of her chest.  
  
Prue began to move though.   
  
"Aunt Prue? Are you ok?"   
  
Prue lifted her head from the steering wheel and looked around, seeing Phoebe, her little sister, unconscious and obviously in bad shape. It was like one of those 'drive safe' adverts. Opening the door she threw up everything she had eaten that day.  
  
Climbing clumsily from the car she hobbled to the passenger side and opened Ender's door and helped him out. His leg was slashed badly.   
  
Helping him back from the car she eased him to the ground before turning back, intent of getting to Phoebe but before she could move the Jeep exploded in flames. 


	3. yay or nay?

Hey everyone, So i've been told a lot that people rn't liking Ender and r infact, 'antiender' that's ine. i'm not gonna have a go but I'd aprrieciate it if u would vote a simple yes or no to Ender staying. If u read and don't normally review then please this once let me no ur opinion. It's so i can get the fairest decision. Anyway i'll see whether he stays or go's tomoro and hopefully hav a new part up tomoro/friday.   
  
thanks guys  
  
WP  
  
(It's like suvivor, lol.) 


	4. Part 3

AN: Well, Ender has been voted no. So yeah. And someone really disliked him as they used about 10diferent names but used the same phrase and posted one after the other. so that got counted as 1 as i'm not a complete spaz. on a lighter note-ITS SNOWING! *does the happy dance* its snowing a blizard out so happy WP. anyway. enjoy. i dunno when i'll get more done.   
  
  
Part 3  
  
  
Aunt and Nephew orbed into the hall of the manor, both distraught.   
  
Ender eased his aunts head from his shoulder and began to heal the nasty gash on her head and the countless scrapes and bruises. But what caused the most pain he could never heal with magic.  
  
Prue looked at him, her ice blue eyes more an intense than he had ever seen.   
  
If she had said something in that moment he may have been calmed, soothed but the silent stare spoke volumes that made him tremble.   
  
Piper and Leo broke up the unspoken conversation as Leo asked, "What happened this time?"  
  
Prue uncerimoniouesly scrabbled to her feet and threw herelf into Piper's arms, sobbing.  
  
"Dad?" Leo looked down to the owner of the small voice.   
  
He felt something new inside, something that caught him off gaurd like a punch in the stomach: fatherly instinct.  
  
He enveloped his son in an embrace of love. Letting his healing power flow through their connection.  
  
Ender broke down and burried his head in his dad's shoulder.   
  
Piper pulled back, already knowing what had happened but needed some verbal verification.  
  
"She's gone." Prue choked out with the heavy pain of guilt lacing her voice.  
  
Piper's cries matched Prue's as she held on to her sister for dear life.  
  
*******  
  
Leo orbed back into the manor with his soon to be brother-in-law.   
  
The sight of his wife, son and sister boke his heart. The pain he could feel from his charges was imense.   
  
Ender paced the room while Prue held Piper.   
  
Glenn ran his hand over his head, "It's true... Oh god, do you have to kill her?"  
  
Prue stormed towards Glenn, "She killed Phoebe!" She said angrily but realisation hit and she softened "B-but she's our sister..."  
  
Leo put his arm around Prue and led her back to Piper. "We'll figure something out." He promised as he looked at his wife.   
  
Piper was staring off into space completely blocking out the pain around her.  
  
Kissing her forehead he wished he could heal emotional pain.  
  
Glenn was pulled from his thoughts as he heard his new found nephews strained voice.  
  
"I can't do this."  
  
"You don't have a choice." Glenn stated with less sympathy than he meant. "None of us want to be here, but this is happening and you have to deal and do whatever you have to. Know matter how hard it is."  
  
Ender took a moment to process what his uncle said then he pulled himself together. "You're right. We have to save aunt Paige... we have to fix this."  
  
"Awww, wasn't that sweet? A little pep talk and your all gun hoe." Said the sadistic voice.  
  
Glenn felt sick. He could see straight away that wasn't his Paige.  
  
"Paige, fight it. I know you're in there somewhere." Glenn pleaded.  
  
Paige's Face contorted into a huge grin. "You have know idea how funny that is. There isn't two of us. Just me. I just see things clearer now."  
  
Leo told Prue and Piper to stay where they were while he went out to the hall to join the rest.   
  
"Paige, what happened to you?" The Whitelighter asked in disgust.  
  
"Enlightenment." She stated simply. "Give Phoebe an insult from me when you see her."  
  
Paige then threw 3 dark blue orbs at Ender, Leo and Glenn. They soaked into there skin and blocked up every oraphis with a tar like substance.   
  
Prue and Piper watched on in horror as each man writhered, suffocated with there eyes bulging from there sockets, expired.  
  
Paige looked towards her sisters turned play toys.   
  
"Don't worry, there's enough darklighter poison there to kill them 10 times over." She said diectly to Piper before 'orbing' out with black orbs.  
  
"NO! YOU COME BACK HERE! I'LL KILL YOU!" Piper screamed towards the spot her evil sister had been.  
  
Prue numbly took Piper's hand and orbed them to the attic where she could swear she could still hear Paige's sinister laugh. 


	5. Part 4

Part 4   
  
  
  
Prue flicked through the BOS violently.   
  
Her little sister... only sister, that wasn't dead or evil, was shaking in the chair.   
  
Shock was th only explination. She showed no acknowledgment of the world around her.   
Of course not. She had just watched 2/3 of her family die.  
  
Prue sighed, she knew what they had to decide what to do about Paige - and quick.  
  
Taking a seat next to Piper, Prue took her sisters tremling hands.   
  
"Pipe?"  
  
No Response.  
  
"Honey, I know you're listening. We need to decide what to do... about Paige."  
  
Piper's sturdy exterior faultered.  
  
"I can't decide this alone." Prue said honestly.  
  
"I want to kill what's corrupting her." Piper said through gritted teeth.  
  
Prue let out a breath of relief. Thank god she didn't want to kill Paige.  
  
The eldest stroaked Piper's hair. "First we need to find out what's doing this to her, possession of otherwise."  
  
"The crystals." Piper blurted out.  
  
Pue nodded. "That should buy us enough time."  
  
"Good is so lame." Paige commented.  
  
Prue and Piper's heads shot up. Paige stood in the attic. Ender held limply above the floor by some invisable force.  
  
Piper seethed at that moment as she avoided looking at her dead son.  
  
He was turning blue, cold to the touch no doubt.   
  
His eyes still bulged, blood trickling from them like tears.   
  
His mouth, ears and nostrils still blocked by the black solid.  
  
Prue stood up, protectively blocking Piper.   
  
"You know it's amazing how many ways you can mutilate a copse. You should really check out my work with the men downstairs. Its great to have the power to flay, remove, gauge... whatever floats your boat."  
  
"Leave." Prue ordered.  
  
Paige pouted, "awww, don't spoil my fun."  
  
She raised her arms and Ender's body burst into flames.  
  
Piper whimpered behind Prue, who's protective instinct was in full drive. Using her telekenisis, she threw the crystals around Paige.  
  
Her baby sister was surrounded by an electrical force field.   
  
The burnt body of her nephew fell to the floor, blackened and smouldering.  
  
The stench of burned flesh caused the bile to raise in her throat.  
  
Prue ran to the book, searching for some spell to stop the evil rampage of Paige.  
  
Piper gave a death glare to the imprisoned sister and picked up their athame.   
  
Standing a couple of meters away she considerred many things but all came back to: Kill or not to Kill.  
  
Neither Halliwell noticed as the electrical wall around Paige began to flow into her. She was sucking the power from the crystals. As they ran out she stumbled.  
  
"You have got to try that! What a rush. But maybe a next life..." She grinned. 


	6. Part 5

Part 5  
  
  
The athame sailed across the attic, hitting its target with force.   
  
The expected blood diffusing threw her clothing never came.   
  
No blood, No gore, No screaming in agony.  
  
Paige pulled the blade from her stomach with a twisted smile.  
  
"You know, that really tickled. But here's a tip pippy: I'm over the mortal coil. No death for me! You see I'm stronger than you. I'm part charmed one, part whitelighter and then add evil over that and you get a pretty powerful and awesome entity... me."  
  
Piper held Paige's stare. How could that be her sister? It was just wrong.   
  
"We'll find some way to stop you." Prue said rigidly.  
  
Paige sighed dramatically then threw out her hands sending a stream of electricity into Piper.  
  
Prue watched on in shock as Piper convulsed and screamed. Paige wasn't letting up. Tackling her to the ground finally cut off the connection.   
  
Prue pushed herself up and looked over to Piper. She was deadly still. Scrambling to her side she became more alarmed by the line of blood that ran from her sister's ear.   
  
"Piper??" she asked frantically as she pressed two fingers to her neck.   
  
Letting her breath catch in her throat she whispered, "no."  
  
Paige climbed to her feet and dusted herself off. "Idiot, i've got a friction burn now."   
  
Prue looked up at Paige with tears in her eyes, "She's dead."  
  
"Boo-Hoo." Paige said sarcastically.  
  
"Don't you feel anything?! What are you? Why did you take her?!" Prue asked in rage.  
  
Paige threw up her hands in ustration, "Hello! Evil now! Did you not get the fact that I murdered your family??"  
  
Prue gave her the same blank stare.  
  
Paige sighed and summouned the athame beforestepping forward and ramming it into her sisters abdomen.   
  
"That make it clearer?" She asked pulling the athame out.  
  
Prue grasped her stomach as she fell to the attic floor next to Piper. Finding the strength from somewhere deep down she looked up at her sister.   
  
"I... love you."   
  
Bam! Something in Paige broke. As the darkness lifted rom her soul her eyes welled up.   
  
What had she done?  
  
Looking around he saw one chargrilled nephew and two dead sisters. Prue's blue stare still on her.  
  
Falling to her knee's her mind was flooded of visions of pain, grief and plain out evil.. But maybe a next life..." She grinned. 


	7. Part 6

AN: umm.. sliht Buffy Crossover. It'll only last till the next part. U on't really hav to b an avid viewer to get it but if ur not... whats wrong with u? Probably post conversations with dead people but definetly before never leave me. enjoy.  
  
  
  
  
Part 6   
  
  
Her grief blocked vision cleared to show the faces of the very people she killed.  
  
They kept flooding her mind, Increasing the agonising pain in her heart.   
  
Closing her eyes she saw their dead and mutilated bodies.   
  
The buzing in her ears gave in as she stated to hear her own cries followed by voices. Whispering.   
  
She deserved this.  
  
She killed her family, least they could do was haunt her.  
  
They were touching her now. She could feel there hands on her shoulders, on her face. God, they were warm. Shouldn't they chill her to her evil bones?   
  
Someone... Someone was kissing her. And it wasn't bad or violent... It was Glenn she could taste him. It was a gentle Glenn kiss.  
  
Slowly opening her eyes they were all still there. Glenn closest then Prue, Piper, Phoebe and Leo. And... Someone else. A woman with red hair. Kind of like her own. Someone extra but some missing.   
  
Where was Ender?  
  
Finally the images and sound began to syncronise.   
  
"Paige? Talk to us?" Glenn asked.   
  
She pushed herself futher into the sofa.   
  
What the hell was going on?  
  
"I... Your... Why?" She stutered hoarsly.  
  
Prue's turn to step up.   
  
"It's ok. You're home now. There was a... demon problem. Do you remember the demon that stabbed you with its spike?" Prue asked softly trying not to freak her little sister out further.  
  
Paige slowly nodded.   
  
"Well, this demon had a venom which caused you to see... experience stuff that you're scared of. But whatever it was, it wasn't real. Ok?" Prue said as she reached out to touch Paige's hand.  
  
Paige looked down at Prue's ahdn on top of her's. She stabed... Killed her big sister and she fogave her with her last words. She stopped the evil with those three simple words and here she was again. With love in her eyes and reassuring touch after Paige had shoved a blade into her flesh and threw her veins..  
  
A quiet whimper excaped her as she pulled back from them all again.  
  
Quickly she thought about what Pue had told her... But Ender... was he all part of her imagination?? Or did she really kill him and everyone else managed to get back but him?  
  
"Did... Are you lying? He's not here so I really did do all that didn't I? Oh god-"   
  
Paige was cut off by the door opening. Ender walked in the living room with some girl and Paige couldn't have been more relived, she hadn't killed him.   
  
Ender stopped and looked at his aunt in shock, "Thank god." He said before walking towards her.  
  
Paige backed away, she may not have brutally mudered them all but she still felt like she had.   
  
Ender looked to his mom with a confused look. Piper just put an arm around him. "It's ok. She's just a little freaked." Piper reassured.  
  
Paige rubbed her forehead, "I... I'm sorry." Paige said before leaving and going to her room.  
  
Pheobe was ready to go after her when Willow stopped her.  
  
She then looked at Phoebe, embarresed. "Sorry... I think I could maybe..."   
  
Phoebe nodded, "Go try."  
  
Dawn stopped Willow before she got to the stairs, "You don't have to do this."  
  
"I know. But... I think I should try." Willow told her honestly.  
  
Dawn let her go, still not happy with the idea.   
  
********  
  
Willow approached Paige's room, she could feel the pain from the charmed one. It was more regreat and remorse that stung through. Emotions she was all to familiar with.  
  
She knocked on the door and without waiting for a reply walked in. She gave a sympathetic smile to the other red head. "Hey."  
  
"Who are you?" Paige asked without looking up.  
  
Willow edged her way futher into the room ,awkwardly she anwered, "Willow... uh Willow Rosenburg."  
  
Paige looked up, she hadn't expected that to be Willow. She was so young... yet her eyes told otherwise. She'd spoke to Willow on the phone a couple of times, comparing evils and spells.   
  
"Your sisters called us when they couldn't figure out what was wrong with you. Luckily we had a cure for the head trouble." She explained.  
  
"It felt... feels real. Like it really happened..."  
  
"You killed them huh?" Willow asked bluntly as she on the corner of the bed.  
  
Paige stared intently at her hands and nodded. "I done it so evily."  
  
"But it wasn't real, they're still here and they're fine." Willow sad with slight bitterness.  
  
Paige looked up at her, "But everytime I look at them I'll see them. Dead. Mutilated. At my hand. I could feel all the emotions, the smells the sensations." More tears fell from her eyes.  
  
Willow sighed, "do you know what I done?"  
  
Paige frowned.  
  
"I lost my soulmate to a geek in denial and I went out and killed him... I made with the flaying and then I tried to end the world and I came pretty close. I live with that everyday. The fear that I'll be that monster again. That the magick will take me over. That I'll kill my friends rather than just hurt them this time. You can put this done to a really crappy nightmare and I think you need to remember that."  
  
Paige felt like some childish whiner who was feelin sory for herself. "I'm sorry."   
  
Willow softened. "Don't be. Just don't shut them out. And don't let it become more than a nightmare. It must have been horrible, but they're all sitting down there worried sick about you and they always will be. Don't forget that."  
  
"I know they care... I love them, they're my family I'm just not good at knowing what I saw while they think it's all ok. I just started to get over the hell images and now i've got a healthy knew supply."  
  
Willow looked at Paige, mouth slihtly open. "Was it long? Like the centuries long hell?"  
  
Paige nodded.  
  
"God, I'm so sorry."  
  
"Sounds to me like you've been there yourself."   
  
Willow's gaze fell. "And everything wants to drag me back there."   
  
"Don't let it. You've got you're friends right?"  
  
Willow smiled slihtly, "yeah. Just promise me if I go scary and veiny again you'll come vanquish me." She said half joking half serious.  
  
"It's a deal." Paige agreed. "Scary and veiny?"  
  
"My evil alter-ego." Willow explained. God she spend too much time around Xander's comic colection.   
  
Paige nodded still not quite getting it. 


	8. Part 7

A/N: First off, Annonymous - cross overs mite not work for u but I don't write for you. I take my two fav things and combine them, yay me. It wasn't a dream it was a demon induced alternative reality. And the Ender thing? I'm not one for going with the cowd, never will be. I appreciate that you like my stories but maybe you should accept that this is what TSW is and if u don't like it thats a shame.  
Secondly, I'm getting sick of this series. Theres only so much angst u can deal with in this situation so I'm considerring I new series which will hopefully be completely different but obviously not since I'm still writting it.  
P.S this is the last part.  
Part 7  
Ender and Dawn had escaped into the kitchen, both anxiously awaiting Paige or Willow to appear.  
  
Dawn was amazed by how much they had in common. Both more powerful than anyone could imagine, both thought of as too young to fully comprehend situations when they understood just fine, both top worries of there family and both trying to act nomal and be teenagers but not doing so well.  
  
"So, what's the future like?" Dawn asked curiously.  
  
Ender frowned, "I think I'm more from another dimension."  
  
"Hey! Ever need to crumble those pesky dimentional walls, I'm your gal." She joked.  
  
Ender laughed giving Dawn a lasting smile. "I'll remember that... But aren't you too old for me?"   
  
Dawn hit Ender's arm, "you're not even born yet!"  
  
"Awww, sorry I didn't mean to insult you. You're a really pretty ball of energy." He said letting his hand drift to her's.  
  
Dawn blushed, surprised to feel his fingers lace with her's. "You're not part vampire or wearing any charmed clothing are you?"  
  
Ender gave her a bewildered look, "Uhh... part whitelighter, part witch but not part vampire and no charmed clothing though... I guess I am part charmed."  
  
Dawn let out a relieved laugh, "good... Thats's good."  
  
"You're so cute when you're nervous." He said without thinking then got an equally embarresed look. "God, I'm cheesy huh?"  
  
Dawn looked at him seriously, comfoted by the fact she wasn't the only one nervous. "Cheesy is good. Just not in the smell way, but since you smell nice, it's all good."  
  
Ender moved Dawn's hair behind her ear, moving in to kiss her.  
  
"Excuse me." Phoebe said with a sly grin.   
  
Dawn and Ender jumped to their feet looking at Phoebe, mortified, not realising they were still holding hands.  
  
Phoebe had to try hard not to laugh at the look on their faces. "I just came through to make sure you two were ok... obvious you are." She said pointing to their joined hands.  
  
Dawn looked to Ender with a 'what do we do?' look, He shrugged with a slight smile creeping on his face as he gripped her hand tighter.  
  
"Something wrong, Aunt Phoebe?" He asked trying to wipe the grin off his face.  
  
Phoebe couldn't stop the grinning pride on her face. Her little nephew of a week was holding a girl's hand.  
  
Prue, Piper and Leo paced into the kichen.   
  
"Pheebs, you want some coffee?" Prue asked.  
  
"Yeah, coffee would be good." Phoebe said as she collected the mugs while Piper gave Phoebe a 'look at them' look. Phoebe just smiled and put her arm around Piper's shoulder. "Young love, sis."  
  
Ender took the chance to escape and led Dawn into the living room where they sat on the couch.  
  
"Aunt's who'd have 'em?" He joked.  
  
"Wait till you meet my family." She said with a straight face.  
  
Ender laughed but forgot about talking as he put his arm around Dawn and she rested her head on his shoulder.  
  
After a few minutes Dawn spoke up, "This is nice."  
  
"Very nice."" He agreed.  
  
"Do you do this a lot?" She slipped in.  
  
Ender sighed, "no... I kinda haven't got close to many people before. I don't like the not being truthful with people. But you... You're special. I don't need to hide who I am with you."  
  
Dawn couldn't help but smile. He was so cute and she really liked him. More imporatantly he liked her.   
  
"I get how you feel. Everything that's made me who I am. Everything in my life I can't share with people. Guess that's why I don't bother too much with the whole friends thing."  
  
"Yeah, plus they think you're weird cause you're there is always some 'family emergency.' or you can't go at the weekend cause you've got a demon to fight."  
  
"Exactly. You understand. It's not easy, huh?" She said as she started to play with the beads on Ender's arm.  
  
"Nope, it's not." He sat up and took a set of beads off and started to put them on Dawn. "So, you don't forget me all the way in Sunnydale."  
  
"I wouldn't... I'm never going to get to see you, am I?" She said sadly.  
  
Ender almost kicked himself. "Of course you will. All the time. I orb... I can orb to you." He told her.  
  
Dawn giggled nervously, "Orb?"  
  
Ender gave her one of his amazing smiles as he exploded into little blue orbs and reformed behind her, tapping her shoulder.  
  
"Oh my god! That was cool!" She exclaimed as she jumped up.  
  
"It's pretty cool. But its means we can see each other, you know if you want." He said nervously, not wanting to get ahead of himself.  
  
"I do! you know... want to see you."  
  
Ender grinned as he joined her on the sofa again. Taking her hands he fastened the beads.  
  
"So you like them?"  
  
Dawn nodded, "They're very cool. In that multicolored way." She said.  
  
Ender noticed something on her fore arm. Running his finger down the scar he asked, "How did you get that?"  
  
Dawn squirmed and pulled her arm away. "I-I.. uh, when we were fighting a demon, scratched me, very soar." She said avoiding his eyes.  
  
Ender frowned, "You're lying. Dawn, you said it. I understand."  
  
Dawn looked him in the eyes and sighed, "I'm sorry. It's a long story... I didn't know I was the key until I overheard everyone talking about me being the key and I freaked I didn't understand how my whole life could be fake, that I wasn't Dawn Summers. I uh... I cut my arm to prove to them I was me and not some ball of energy."  
  
Ender his hand to her cheek, "I'm sorry. That must have been really hard."  
  
Dawn noticed that Ender was shaking slightly, looking upset. "Ender, are you ok?" She asked with a concerned tone.  
  
"Yeah, sorry. I..." He trailed off, not sure how to go on.  
  
Dawn found herself wrapping her arms around his neck, pulling him in a gentle hug. "You can tell me." She said quietly.  
  
Ender relaxed into the hug, waiting before breaking apart. "My best friend, back in the 'future' used to cut himself. It just... I guess it scares me."   
  
Dawn squeezed his hands, "He was ok though?"  
  
The witch nodded, "Eventually... though I thought he wouldn't be, thought that I wouldn't be."  
  
Dawn, running on instinct leaned forard and gently kissed Ender. They were both shocked at how slow, how comforting one small kiss was to them.   
  
"Dawn!!" She heard Willow's voice. and they had to break the lingering kiss.  
  
Dawn's cheeks were scarlet and she knew it. "What?!"  
  
Ender was just as bad, "I'm sorry, we just... I mean it was just..." He groaned and forced himself to shut up.  
  
Willow waved her hands in frustration, "No! You two were glowing! Like... the strange not supposed to happen, glowing way."  
  
Everyone else rushed in the room, Paige not escaping them.  
  
"What happened?!" Piper shouted.  
  
"They glowed!" Willow said.  
  
Prue frowned, "Are you sure? Maybe it was an aura thing?"   
  
"They were glowing... And making with the smoochies." Paige unable to contain a laugh considerring the mortified looks of Dawn and Ender.  
  
"Quick Leo, go get a camera." Phoebe joked.  
  
Piper raised an eyebrow at Phoebe, "Oh, what? They obviously like each other."   
  
Piper wiped the cheeky smile off her face.  
  
"Ok, back to the important fact of, they were glowing. In what way?"  
  
"It was kinda... Greeny-Yellow. Do you guys normally glow?" Willow asked looking a little worried.  
  
Leo was in rpotective mode, "I'm going to check with the elders." He orbed out, not giving anyone a chance to say anything.  
  
"It was their hearts." Paige said quietly.  
  
"What?" Everyone asked in sync, Dawn and Ender included.  
  
Paige shrugged, "It was their hearts, maybe their souls but something around their. Like... they healed."  
  
Piper tried to take this in. So her son was hurting inside... yet none of them noticed.   
  
Willow gave Dawn a sympathetic yet questioning look. "Dawnie?"  
  
Dawn just shook her head. "Let's not do this now."  
  
Ender turned to Dawn, "What's bothering you?" He asked softly.  
  
"I can't." She told him.   
  
"Ok, everyone in the kitchen while we talk." Paige ordered.  
  
Piper and Willow were the only ones who looked like they were going to put up a fight.  
  
"I should be the one talking to him." Piper argued.  
  
Paige sighed, "Pipe, just trust me. I think it'll be easier this way."   
  
Piper gave up as she let Phoebe lead her away.   
  
"Dawnie?" Willow asked again.  
  
"I'll be ok." She promised. Willow joined the rest in the kitchen.  
  
Paige then sat across from Ender and Dawn who sat side by side on the sofa.  
  
"What just happened?" Paige asked.  
  
"We kissed." Ender answered.  
  
"And before that?"  
  
"We talked."  
  
"What about?"  
  
Ender began feeling like Paige was the gistappo. "Why do you need to know?"  
  
"Because your glowing could be good or bad, we don't know that. I get the feeling it was healing, but why were you two healed with a kiss?"  
  
Dawn sighed and spoke up, "We talked about serious stuff... that's hurt us."  
  
Paige began to look more sympathetic. "Have either of you spoke about these things before?"  
  
Both shook there heads.   
  
Paige relaxed "then there's the answer, sharing for the first time, letting someone in showed itself because you're both magical. No scary swapping of entities so its all good."  
  
Both let out a breath of relief.  
  
"Ah, we're not so done yet. Are you both ok? Whatever it was or is must be heavy."  
  
They looked at each other and shook there heads. "We're fine." Ender said for them both.  
  
Paige wasn't ready to back down. "I know that growing up around the supernatural can't be easy. It's hard enough to grow up normally but you know you can talk to me, and Dawn, maybe you should consider talking to Willow or your sister."  
  
"Yeah, maybe but Willow... I can't."  
  
"Well, I'm not gonna go force you to talk to her but she made me face up to some things."   
  
"Aunt Paige, your ok right?"   
  
She nodded, "Yeah. Just that darn alternative reality."  
  
********  
  
Paige Matthews walked into the lving room, seeing her big sister looking lonely.  
  
"You ok, Pheebs?"  
  
Phoebe looked up at the red head, "Hey... I was just thinking about you."  
  
Paige dumped herself on the sofa. "That's worrying."  
  
"As are you, little sis."  
  
"How so?"  
  
Phoebe sighed, "You havn't spoke to me about what's been going on. I havn't been the big sister I've wanted to be to you."  
  
Paige frowned, "Pheebs you're a great sister and I love you but you shouldn't feel like I'm blocking you out. I'm sick of feeling down, sick of letting evil get to me. I have this perfect family and I refuse to let some alternative reality taint that. Willow said some things that made me wake up and realise just how lucky I am."  
  
Phoebe looked at Paige with a new found respect. "We are lucky. We get to save the world and we have each other. We've lost so much but gained more. I think you were the best gain any of us had though. You should me a lot. You helped me through losing Prue, dealing with... Cole and every other little thing. I owe you a lot Paige and I'm going to try and be the big sister that Prue and Piper were for me."  
  
Paige bit her lip trying to hold back tears. But for once they weren't tears of sadness and pain but clarity.   
  
Phoebe got up and hugged Paige, kissing the side of her head. "I love you."   
  
Paige hugged Phoebe back with as much caring. "I love you too, Pheebs." 


End file.
